This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

The chase for Porto's Christian Atsu looks set to intensify with both Tottenham and Everton preparing to step up their interest in the Ghana international.

Reports in Ghana suggest that Porto have admitted defeat in their bid to get Atsu to sign a new contract and are now under pressure to sell the winger before the end of the transfer window.

Atsu's contract expires next summer, when he can leave on a free transfer, and it is thought that several English clubs had hoped to wait until January to sign the 21-year-old to a pre-contract agreement.

But according to GHANAsoccernet.com, Porto are keen to sell Atsu now rather than risk losing him for nothing in at the season's end.

And while Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Atsu it is now believed that both Tottenham and Everton may have leapfrogged the Anfield club in the race for the player's services.

Andre Villas-Boas, in particular, is known to be an admirer of Atsu having worked with the youngster during his time at Porto and would be keen to be reunited with the player at White Hart Lane.

Given the player's contract situation it is thought that Porto would be willing to listen to bids as low as £1m for Atsu, but with a number of suitors alerted to the prospect of a bargain a bidding war of sorts may now ensue.